1. Time for teachers to work cooperatively to improve the achievement of all students.
   Teachers will have time to work together on issues of instruction, student performance, and development of curriculum aligned with state standards. Professional development and community building events will serve to create and strengthen working relationships among staff.
   
   
2. The curriculum meets the needs of all students.
   The curriculum of each small school will be theme-based and rigorous, meeting district high school graduation requirements and "a-g" requirements for both the University of California and California State University higher education systems. To increase student engagement, themes will be used to connect curriculum with student interests and real-world applications. Schools will also work with neighboring community colleges to take advantage of additional resources. For example, the Kearny High Educational Complex already offers a "Fast Track" program that allows students to take college-level courses and earn college credits while still in high school.
   
   
3. Plan for community, parent, and student involvement in the improvement planning for this school.
   From the inception of the redesign concept, staff have provided opportunities for interested parties to get involved in the redesign process and provide input. All the schools have taken steps to bring many voices to the table as part of the planning process. Outreach efforts included:
   
   
   • Governance meetings
   • Redesign Retreat
   • Open House
   • Professional Development meetings with staff and students
   • Parent Nights, held in multiple languages
   • Presentations for Parent-Teacher-Student Association
   • Presentations for community
   • Articles in parent newsletters
   
   In addition, each school has incorporated community, parent, and student involvement as an important component of their overall school plans:
   
   
   • The small schools will form governance/leadership teams which include parents, students, school staff, and representatives from community and local business organizations; small school size will allow them to have a real voice in school decision-making.
   • Each school will host open houses and other community events to forge school identity and culture and to welcome parents, students, and community members in a way that demonstrates their participation is valued.
   • Creating closer relationships between educators and students and their families will likely increase the level of family involvement in the education process, a factor that has been shown to have a positive effect on student performance.
   • Students will present their work to panels of parents, community, and business representatives during their school careers, giving them a sense of real-world accountability; this also allows schools to share work and successes with the broader public.
   
   
   
4. Teachers are aware of students' career aspirations and work to relate the content of their classes to those goals.
   Career themes provide anchors for curricular planning and exposure to the world of work. In addition, increased personalization and meaningful advisory/advocacy periods will provide teachers opportunities to get to know the interests of their students. Curriculum can then be adapted as appropriate. In grades 9 and 10, students will learn more about theme-related careers. In grades 11 and 12, students will have opportunities for job shadows and internships as well as advanced coursework in their areas of interest.
   
   
5. Varied teaching techniques meet the needs of students.
   Professional development is critical and a major focus for the five small schools at the Crawford complex. Teachers have already identified several areas where training will be needed:
   
   
   • Strategies for teaching English language learners across the curriculum
   • Strategies for providing a meaningful advisory program to ensure personalization
   • Training on aligning curriculum to standards and developing appropriate assessments
   • Refresher training on learning styles
   • Project/problem-based learning
   • Multicultural teaching
   
   Teachers will also be certified in various instructional methodologies and instructional strategies. The small schools will also emphasize the role of teachers as coaches who encourage students to think critically and learn to ask thoughtful questions.
   
   
6. Students, parents, faculty can describe what is unique about their school.
   Redesigning the comprehensive high school into smaller schools, each with its own theme and culture, increases the liklihood of a good "fit" between student and school, and provides additional opportunities for staff to meet the needs of diverse students. Some additional advantages over traditional high schools include:
   
   
   • Greater personalization.
   • Themed academics keep students engaged and provide opportunities for linking curriculum to the real world.
   • More opportunities for involvement of interested parties.
   • Curriculum is adapted to meet student needs and motivate and challenge students.
   • Teachers improve their own instruction through peer feedback.
   
   
7. External evaluation.
   As the intermediary for the Gates Foundation grant, New American Schools will evaluate the process of redesign as well as the outcomes of the new small schools. In addition, the schools will each be held accountable to:
   
   
   • The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
   • The benchmarks set forth in the district's Carnegie grant, and the two goals named in the Gates Foundation grant: to increase the number of college-ready SDCS high school graduates, particularly among low-income and minority populations, and to improve students' post-secondary options, whether college, technical training or the world of work.

•	High School Redesign Initiative flyer: English | Spanish
•	The School Redesign Network at Stanford University
•	New American Schools

•	Fact Sheet: Making the Case for Small Schools
•	Gates Foundation Report: High Schools for the New Millennium
•	Evaluation: National School District and Network Grants Program

Key Contacts
Executive Director, Office of Small School Innovation (OSSI) / High School Improvement Officer
Tony Burks
tburks@sandi.net